1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns improved sutures particularly adapted for employment in operations such as that entitled "urethrovaginal fixation to Cooper's ligament for correction of recurrent stress incontinence". It will be understood, however, that use of the suture is not limited to such operations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore in operations such as referred to above and as described in an article entitled "Urethrovaginal Fixation to Cooper's Ligament (Burch) in the Treatment of Incontinence" by Erfurth Nielsen and Finn Lundval of Copenhagen, Denmark, the article having been published in Acta Scand. Suppl. 433: 118- 120, 1973, and copies of the article being available in medical libraries, have involved the use of three or more sutures of catgut on each side of Cooper's ligament which are passed through the perivaginal fascia on each side of the urethra after dissection of the space of Retzius and adequate exposure of the bladder and urethra. Each suture is then passed through the most easily reached point of Cooper's ligament and tied.
The above procedure has presented serious problems as, for example, the procedure is very time-consuming for the surgeon and the patient is exposed for an excessive period of trauma. Also, the sutures do not necessarily uniformly distribute the stress as in many instances some will be tighter than others. In addition, it has been found that in a number of instances the sutures break if the patient should have a coughing spell or be subject to other spasms.